launder

American  

[lawn-der, lahn-] / ˈlɔn dər, ˈlɑn- /

verb (used with object)

launders, present (3rd person singular) laundered, past participle, past laundering present participle

1. to wash (clothes, linens, etc.).

2. to wash and iron (clothes).

3. Informal.

   1. to disguise the source of (illegal or secret funds or profits), usually by transmittal through a foreign bank or a complex network of intermediaries.

   2. to disguise the true nature of (a transaction, operation, or the like) by routing money or goods through one or more intermediaries.

4. to remove embarrassing or unpleasant characteristics or elements from in order to make more acceptable.

   He'll have to launder his image if he wants to run for office.

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verb (used without object)

launders, present (3rd person singular) laundered, past participle, past laundering present participle

1. to wash laundry.

2. to undergo washing and ironing.

   The shirt didn't launder well.

noun

1. (in ore dressing) a passage carrying products of intermediate grade and residue in water suspension.

2. Metallurgy. a channel for conveying molten steel to a ladle.

launder British  

/ ˈlɔːndə /

verb

1. to wash, sometimes starch, and often also iron (clothes, linen, etc)

2. (intr) to be capable of being laundered without shrinking, fading, etc

3. (tr) to process (something acquired illegally) to make it appear respectable, esp to process illegally acquired funds through a legitimate business or to send them to a foreign bank for subsequent transfer to a home bank

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noun

1. a water trough, esp one used for washing ore in mining

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• launderability
  noun
• launderer
  noun
• relaunder
  verb (used with object)
• launderable
  adjective
• unlaundered
  adjective
• well-laundered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• laundering
  present
• laundered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• launder
  simple
• launders
  simple
• have laundered
  perfect
• has laundered
  perfect
• am laundering
  progressive
• are laundering
  progressive
• is laundering
  progressive
• have been laundering
  perfect progressive
• has been laundering
  perfect progressive

Past

• laundered
  simple
• had laundered
  perfect
• was laundering
  progressive
• were laundering
  progressive
• had been laundering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will launder
  simple
• will have laundered
  perfect
• will be laundering
  progressive
• will have been laundering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of launder

1300–50; 1970–75 launder for def. 3; Middle English: launderer, syncopated variant of lavandere, lavendere washer of linen < Middle French lavandier ( e ) < Medieval Latin lavandārius (masculine), lavandāria (feminine), equivalent to Latin lavand- (gerund stem of lavāre to wash) + -ārius, -āria -ary; see -er ²)

Explanation

To launder is to wash your clothes or other things made from cloth, like sheets and towels. A college student might try to wait to launder her clothes until she goes home for Thanksgiving. When you launder, you wash a load of laundry, or dirty clothes. These days most of us use a washing machine to launder, adding detergent to the water and then tossing the wet things in the dryer after they're clean. Another meaning of launder is "hide the origins of illegal money," or "make dirty money look clean," which is usually done by making it appear that the money was earned through a legitimate business.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

launder launders laundered laundering

North Korea’s Lazarus Group External link, among the most sophisticated crypto-enabled criminal organizations in the world, relied heavily on the DeFi mixer Tornado Cash to launder funds.

From Barron's ● Feb. 5, 2026

Sanctions also targeted entities the Treasury Department says help launder the proceeds of Iranian oil through a shadow banking network.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 16, 2026

Investigators also identified a shell company possibly used to launder the advertising revenue, which totaled to around $6.2 million, and an investment of $200,000 in cryptocurrency.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 3, 2025

And as prominent news outlets continue to normalize and launder that simple fact, comedy that’s both humane and hilarious is a way through, if not a way out.

From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2025

“You’re going to need to launder them blankets,” she says, pointing to my arm.

From "Dread Nation" by Justina Ireland

Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also designated three leaders and supporters of an Iran-aligned militia in Iraq, Kataib Hezbollah, as well as a business that it says moves and launders funds for the organization.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 22, 2024

“Today, Treasury is sanctioning Tornado Cash, a virtual currency mixer that launders the proceeds of cybercrimes, including those committed against victims in the United States,” Nelson said.

From The Verge ● Aug. 8, 2022

But the game launders this good idea into a bad one by making many enemies invulnerable unless your character has reached a certain level.

From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2020

Bethany launders them in-house and places them in a tub in the entryway, for workers to don each day after taking their temperature and passing a screening.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 3, 2020

Nor would there be any difficulty in making reservoirs upon the ridge-tops, with launders, or gutters, to collect the rain.

From To The Gold Coast for Gold, Vol. II A Personal Narrative by Burton, Richard Francis, Sir

The Treasury also designated the two exchanges “terror assets” and said Zanjani had laundered money and provided funding for Revolutionary Guard projects.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

Most of the illegally-mined gold is smuggled out to the United Arab Emirates, from where it is laundered into the global supply chain in Europe, the United States, Asia and South Africa.

From Barron's ● Dec. 19, 2025

After the trial, Recorder Greg Bull KC said Hill had "laundered" some of her daughters' money by paying her partner's mortgage.

From BBC ● Jun. 3, 2025

In probable cause statements filed in federal court, investigators wrote that the defendants laundered the money through multiple bank accounts and ultimately used the cash for personal expenses.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 29, 2025

Arete, too, sent maids in waiting after him, one with a laundered great cloak and a tunic, a second balancing the crammed sea chest, a third one bearing loaves and good red wine.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

London-listed shares in fintech company Wise Group fell after U.S. regulators denied its application for a national trust bank license, citing deficiencies in its program to combat money laundering and terrorism financing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

The force added that more assets were under review and a money laundering investigation was still active.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The SAR programme alerts law enforcement to potential instances of money laundering and flagged 866,616 reports in 2024/25.

From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026

Federal prosecutors convicted Rinsch in December of wire fraud, money laundering and other counts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026

So while Osage boys at other institutions learned farming and carpentry, Mollie was trained in the “domestic arts”: sewing, baking, laundering, and housekeeping.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann